No, an employer may not include non-CDL drivers in the DOT random testing pool. Please see 49 CFR § 40.347 (B) (2) The DOT and FMCSA drug and alcohol testing regulations apply to any person who operates a CMV, as defined in § 382.107, in intrastate or interstate commerce and is subject to the CDL requirements of 49 CFR Part 383,.  An employer may perform testing beyond that required by the DOT rules, but the employer may not represent such testing as a DOT test and must place non-DOT covered employee drug and alcohol testing in a pool that is completely separate from the DOT covered testing pool.  See §382.305 Question15.

Last Updated : May 20, 2015

You must comply with the terms and conditions of the exemption. This information is provided to you.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

The Medical Examiner must follow the standards found in 49 CFR 391.41. In the case of vision, hearing, epilepsy and diabetes requiring any use of insulin, the FMCSRs standards are absolute and allow no discretion by the Medical Examiner.
FMCSA also provides medical advisory criteria and medical guidelines to assist the Medical Examiner determine if a person is physically qualified to operate a commercial bus or truck. The Medical Examiner may or may not choose to use these guidelines. These guidelines are based on expert review and considered practice standards. The examiner should document the reason(s) for not following the guidelines.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

The driver must be medically examined and certified in accordance with Section 391.43 of the FMCSRs.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

The FMCSA medical certification process is designed to ensure drivers are physically qualified to operate commercial vehicles safely. Each driver is required to complete the Health History section on the first page of the examination report and certify that the responses are complete and true. The driver must also certify that he/she understands that inaccurate, false or misleading information may invalidate the examination and medical examiner's certificate.

FMCSA relies on the medical examiner's clinical judgment to decide whether additional information should be obtained from the driver's treating physician. Deliberate omission or falsification of information may invalidate the examination and any certificate issued based on it. A civil penalty may also be levied against the driver under 49 U.S.C. 521(b)(2)(b), either for making a false statement of for concealing a disqualifying condition.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

If the original Medical Examiner is not available, the physician or Medical Examiner in the office may sign the replacement certificate. The advisory criteria states that the original may be copied and given to the driver. Some physicians may require the driver to undergo a new physical examination.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

Medical Examiners who perform FMCSA medical examinations should understand: (1) Specific physical and mental demands associated with operating a CMV, (2) Physical qualification standards specified by 49 CFR 391.41 (b) (1-13), (3) FMCSA advisory criteria and other criteria prepared by the FMCSA, and (4) FMCSA medical guidelines to assess the CMV driver’s medical condition.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

A pilot program collects specific data to evaluate alternatives to the regulations or innovative approaches to safety while ensuring that the safety performance goals of the regulations are satisfied.

In a pilot program, temporary regulatory relief from one or more FMCSR is given to a person or class of persons subject to the regulations or to a person or class of persons who intend to engage in an activity that would be subject to the regulations.

The number of participants in the pilot program must be large enough to ensure statistically valid findings. 381.400
NOTE: FMCSA is not conducting medical pilot programs at the time.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

A satisfactory ETT requires exercising to a workload capacity of at least six METS (through Bruce Stage II or equivalent) attaining a heart rate of >85% of predicted maximum (unless on beta blockers), a rise in SBP>20mmHg without angina, and having no significant ST segment depression or elevation.
Stress radionuclide or exercise echocardiogram should be performed for symptomatic individuals, individuals with an abnormal resting electrocardiogram, or individuals who fail to meet the ETT requirements.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

A waiver is temporary regulatory relief from one or more of the FMCSRs given to a person subject to the regulations, or a person who intends to engage in an activity that would be subject to the regulations. A waiver provides the person with relief from the regulation for up to three months. 49 CFR 391.64 provides waivers to CMV drivers who were in the initial vision and insulin programs in the early 1990's.

An exemption is a temporary regulatory relief from one of more of the FMCSRs given to a person or class of persons subject to the regulations, or who intend to engage in an activity that would make them subject to the regulation. An exemption provides the person or class of persons with relief from the regulations for up to two years, but may be renewed.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

A person must be at least 21 years old to drive a CMV in interstate commerce.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

When the audiometric device is calibrated to the American National Standard (formerly the American Standard Association (ASA) Z24.5-11951. Since the prescribed standard under the FMCSRs is the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), it may be necessary to convert the audiometric results from the ISO standard to the ANSI standard. Instructions are included on the Medical Examination Report form.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

FMCSA medical guidelines for hypertension are based on the Sixth Report of the Joint National Committee on Prevention, Detection, Evaluation and Treatment of High Blood Pressure (JNC 6 - 1997). The prior cardiovascular guidelines were based on an earlier JNC report.
The medical standard (49 CFR 391.41 (b) (6) permits qualification of CMV drivers if the driver has no current clinical diagnosis of high blood pressure likely to interfere with his/her ability to operate a motor vehicle safely. FMCSA provides guidelines to assist the Medical Examiner in determining if a person is physically qualified to operate a motor vehicle.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

A driver with a diagnosis of hypertension on treatment should have at least an annual certification.

A CMV driver with a Blood pressure (BP) 140/90 may be certified for 2 years.
First time BP elevated:

• Stage 1 - BP 140-159/90-99 Certification Period 1 year
• Stage 2 - BP 160-179/100-109 Certification Period 3 months as one time certification. Within the 3 months, if the blood pressure is below 140/90, the driver may receive 1 year certification.
• Stage 3 - BP Reading >180/110 Disqualified. When the blood pressure is less than 140/90, the driver can be certified at 6 month intervals.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

The Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999 created the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) as a separate administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000. The primary mission of FMCSA is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. FMCSA is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and employs more than 1,000 individuals in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. For more information, go to About Us section on the FMCSA Web site.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

The Medical Review Board (MRB) is a nationally recognized standing board of licensed physicians established by FMCSA to provide expert advice to the Secretary of Transportation on matters related to physical qualifications of drivers, medical standards and guidelines, materials for training medical examiners, functional tests for drivers with multiple disabilities and identifying risks of sudden incapacitation.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

A copy of the Medical Examiner's Certificate should be kept on file in the Medical Examiner's office. The driver may request a replacement copy of the certificate from the Medical Examiner or get a copy of the certificate from the motor carrier.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

The truck driver must be medically qualified to not only drive the vehicle safely, but also to do pre and post trip safety inspections, secure the load and make sure it has not shifted. Bus drivers have different demands.

By regulation, Specific Medically Disqualifying Conditions Found Under 49 CFR 391.41 are Hearing Loss, Vision Loss, Epilepsy and Insulin Use.

Drivers who require a Diabetes or Vision exemption to safely drive a CMV in addition to those pre-printed on the certification form are disqualified until they receive such an exemption.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

The physical qualification regulations for CMV drivers in interstate commerce are found at Section 391.41(b) of the FMCSRs. Instructions to Medical Examiners performing physical examinations are found at Section 391.43. Advisory criteria under 391.41 are recommendations. They are accessible on the FMCSA's Web site at http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/regulations/medical.

FMCSA has published medical conference reports as recommendations to assist Medical Examiners determine whether a driver is qualified under Section 391.41(b). The conference reports may be accessed on the FMCSA Web site.

Last Updated : April 1, 2014

A driver cannot take a controlled substance or prescription medication without a prescription from a licensed practitioner.
If a driver uses a drug identified in 21 CFR 1308.11 (391.42(b)(12)) or any other substance such as amphetamine, a narcotic, or any other habit forming drug, The driver is medically unqualified.

There is an exception: the prescribing doctor can write that the driver is safe to be a commercial driver while taking the medication. In this case, the Medical Examiner may, but does not have to certify the driver.

Any anti-seizure medication used for the prevention of seizures is disqualifying.

The Medical Examiner has 2 ways to determine if any medication a driver uses will adversely affect safe operation of a CMV:

1. Review each medication - prescription, non-prescription and supplement
2. Request a letter from the prescribing doctor

Last Updated : September 18, 2017